Kansas City Zoning and Development Code § 88-338-01 BUILDING AND SITE DESIGN STANDARDS
88-338-01 - BUILDING AND SITE DESIGN STANDARDS
The regulations of this article are intended to preserve and enhance the character of pedestrian-oriented streets within the downtown loop and, in turn, to activate building facades, promote street-level activity, economic vitality, and pedestrian safety and comfort. The standards of this article apply to all development within the area defined as the downtown loop, unless otherwise expressly stated.
88-338-01-A. BUILDING PLACEMENT
1. Buildings must abut or be located within 5 ft. of the public sidewalk adjacent to the front property line.
2. Buildings placement standards do not apply to arcades, public plazas, or recessed entries, in accordance with an approved development or site plan.
88-338-01-B. GROUND-FLOOR TRANSPARENCY
1. At least 60% of the street-facing building facade between 4 feet and 10 feet above the sidewalk must be comprised of windows that allow views of indoor commercial space, or product display areas, or display of art, murals, or interactive lighting. On corner lots, this 60% transparency requirement applies only along one street. The minimum transparency standard abutting secondary streets is 40%.
2. Display windows that do not provide views into the interior of the building may be counted towards satisfying up to 50% of the minimum transparency requirements, provided that they are internally illuminated and are at least 2 feet in depth.
3. The bottom of any window or product display window used to satisfy these transparency requirements may not be more than 4.5 feet above the adjacent sidewalk.
[image omitted; see the official code]
88-338-01-C. DOORS AND ENTRANCES
1. Buildings must have a working public entrance door facing the street. Entrances at building corners may be used to satisfy this requirement.
2. Building entrances may include doors to individual shops or businesses, lobby entrances, entrances to pedestrian-oriented plazas, or courtyard entrances to a cluster of shops or businesses.
[image omitted; see the official code]
88-338-01-D. PARKING
1. Parking and loading shall be provided in accordance with 88-420 and as further exempted by 88-420-09.
2. Any off-street parking that is provided must be located behind the building or within or under the building.
3. When the depth of the lot is insufficient to permit required parking to the rear of the building, parking may be located to the side of the building, provided that it does not occupy more than 50% of the street frontage and that it is screened from view of the street in accordance with 88-425 Landscaping and Screening.
88-338-01-E. DRIVEWAYS AND VEHICLE ACCESS
1. Driveways and vehicle access, when provided, must come from an alley or side street if either is present.
88-338-01-F. GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL SPACE
1. Minimum floor-to-ceiling height of all ground floor space within the building shall be 13 feet.
(Ord. No. 150378, § A, 5-21-2015; Ord. No. 151013, § A, 12-10-2015)